Pencil pointer



' Sept. 27, 1949.

F. B. CHAPMAN 2,483,261

PENCIL POINTER Filed March 20, 1946 fnvenlo Ffieder'ci B urrz 71am (Ila12ml:

Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PENCIL POINTERFrederick Burnham Chapman, South Hamilton, Mass.

Application March 20, 1946, Serial N0. 655,788

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a device for pointing pencils, crayons and thelike writing or drawing implements.

In various types of drafting it is desirable to use a pencil r crayonhaving a properly pointed end in order to draw the desired type of line,and it is the customary practice for a draftsman or artist to rub thepoint against a sheet of sandpaper, a flat file or the like abrasivemember while holding the pencil at the proper angle. The accumulationsof ground graphite or crayon that necessarily result from such practiceis apt not only to soil the fingers, but also to be blown or carriedonto the work with the consequent formation or smudges, etc., which aredifficult to remove without obliterating or impairing the drawings.Moreover, the used abrasive constitutes a nuisance which must be keptaway from the work and drafting implements in order to avoid theabove-mentioned dlfficulties.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple andeificient device which is capable of forming any one of severaldifierent points on a pencil or crayon and which at the same timeprevents accumulations of ground graphite or crayon from soiling thefingers and from fouling or otherwise interfering with the work.

Further objects relate to various features of construction and will beapparent from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawings which'disclose what is now considered a preferredembodiment of the inven tion, and wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the pencil pointer;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the outer member or casing;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side and end elevations, respectively, of the innermember or tray;

Figs. 5 and 6 are side and end elevations, respectively, of the windingkey; and

Fig. 7 is an end view of the assembled device.

The embodiment herein shown comprises a sheet metal casing I having abottom wall 2 and upwardly convergent side walls 4 and 5, the upper endsof which are bent outwardly to provide scroll-like members 6 and l ofgenerally eylindrical cross section which are normally disposed inapproximate tangential relation with each other. The sides 4 and 5normally hold the scrolls 6 and l in contact under slight pressure, butare sufiiciently resilient to permit the scrolls to be sprung apart toprovide a gap 8 (Fig. 2) at the approximate line of tangency of thescrolls. The end portions of the scrolls are somewhat convergent, asshown by the dotted lines of Fig. 1, and terminate in spaced relation tothe outer faces of the side walls to provide gaps 9- and I0, as shown inFigs. 2 and 7. The scrolls 6 and I support rolls of abrasive sheetmaterial II and 2. l2, such as a medium emery cloth or sandpaper, thefree end portions of which pass through the gaps 9 and Ill, then aboutthe outer surfaces of the scrolls with their abrasive faces exposed anddownwardly through the gap 8 into the interior of the casing l, as shownin Fig. '7.

A tray l2 (Figs. 3 and 4) having shallow side walls and upstanding endwalls It and it, here shown as approximately triangular in shape toconform with the open ends of the casing l, is slidable into and out ofthe casing so that when assembled therewith the end walls I4 and I5 pro=vide closures for the ends of the casing. At corresponding partsadjacent to their rear ends, the bottom walls of both the casing andtray are formed with struck-up ribs and 4) which provide interengageablereleasable locking members for holding the tray within the casing. Theend walls [4 and is are formed with horizontally aligned openings f6 andI1 (Figs. 3' and 4) which define bearings for rotat ably supporting awinding key or mandrel l8 (Figs. 5 and 6). The marginal portion aboutthe opening [6 is slit radially to form resilient detents which are bentinwardly to provide,

in effect, locking ratchets acting on the adjacent end of the windingkey to prevent rotation thereof in one direction. The opening I! communicates with a transverse slot 2I- (Figs. 4 and 7) which permits thewinding key to be readily applied to and removed from the tray.

The winding key It is preferably formed from a single piece of heavywire and its body portion is flattened and provided with a slot 24'which receives the ends of the abrasive sheets H and I2. The end 25 ofthe winding key snugly fits the opening It with the shoulder defined bythe une tion or end 25 and body portion 22 engageable with the detents20, andthe opposite end 26 of the winding key is slidable through theslot 2| into opening H, the construction and arrangement of parts beingsuch that when assembled with the tray l2 the opposite ends of the bodyportion22 are in engagement with the inner faces of the end wallssurrounding the openings I 6 and I1, thereby preventing axial movementof the key. The end 26 is formed with an extension bent to provide aloop or handle 28 by means of which the key may be rotated in onedirection to wind up the used abrasive sheets H and I2 about its bodyportion 22.

To assemble the device the ends of a pair of rolls I l and I2 ofabrasive sheets are first inserted through the slot 24 of the windingkey, the insci-ted ends being bent'about the body of the key so as toinsure adequate anchorage thereto. While holding" the assembled rollsand key, the latter is inserted imposition in tray I2 which may then beslid into the casing l, the rolls II and I2.

being held so that the wound up parts simultaneously enter the interiorof the scrolls 6 and I and the intermediate or unwound parts passthrough the gaps 8, 9 and ill, it being noted that the convergent endsof the scroll facilitate such assembly and the proper centering of therolls. When thus assembled the rolls H and 12 are supported within thescrolls 6 and 1, respectively, their unwound or free end portionspassing through gaps 9 and I about the outer face of the scrolls withtheir abrasive surfaces exposed, then downwardly through gap 8 to thewinding key I8, as shown in Fig. '7. By manipulating either the rolls Hand [2, or the winding key [8, the abrasive sheets may be drawn and heldtaut about the outer faces of the scrolls.

In using the device the worn or unpointed end of a pencil or crayon isinserted into the bight or line of approximate tangency of the scrollsdefined by gap 8 and drawn back and forth in contact with the abrasivesurfaces, the pencil or crayon being held at the desired angle, relativeto the plane passing through the axes of the scrolls, with or withoutbeing simultaneously rotated, depending upon the type of point desired.The accumulations of ground graphite or crayon thus produced aredeposited on the abrasive sheets and by turning the key It through asmall angle (say 30, counterclockwise in Fig. '7), the used surfaces ofthe abrasive sheet are drawn downwardly into the casing, thereby notonly presenting fresh surfaces of abrasive sheets adjacent to theapproximate line of tangency, but also effectively disposing of theaccumulations of ground graphite or crayon, it being noted that suchaccumulations are sealed in between the abrasive sheets where theycannot be dislodged or accidentally blown away.

When the abrasive sheets have been used the tray l2 may be withdrawnfrom the casing I and the key l8 together with the used sheets ofabrasive wound thereon may then be removed and discarded. Fresh rolls ofabrasive sheets and a new or recovered key may then be coupled and theparts assembled as above described.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for thepurpose 'of illustration, and that various changes in shape, proportionand arrangement of parts, as Well as the substitution of equivalentelements for those herein shown and described, may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention as setforth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pencil pointer comprising a casing having at its upper part a pairof generally cylindrical members disposed in approximate tangentialrelation with each other, a sheet of abrasive material extending aboutthe surface of each of said members and downwardly between said memberswith its end portion within said casing, and a winding key rotatablysupported within said casing, the end portions of the abrasive sheetsbeing secured to said key so that upon rotationthereof fresh surfaces ofsaid abrasive sheets are presented adjacent to the approximate line oftarigency of said members.

2. A pencil pointer comprising a casing, a removable tray disposedwithin said casing, a pair of generally cylindrical members carried bythe upper end of said casing and disposed in approximate tangentialrelation with each other, a sheet of abrasive material extending aboutthe surface of each of said members and downwardly between said memberswith its end portion within said casing, and a winding key having itsend portions rotatably supported by opposite ends of said tray, the endsof the abrasive sheets being secured to said key so that upon rotationthereof fresh surfaces of said abrasive sheets are presented adjacent tothe approximate line of tangency of said members.

3. A pencil pointer comprising a casing of sheet material having sidewalls converging at their upper ends and bent outwardly to form a pairof scroll-like members of generally cylindrical cross section inapproximate tangential relation with each other, a roll of abrasivesheet material disposed within each scroll-like member, the abrasivesheet material of each roll extending about the outer face of thescroll-like member and downwardly between the scroll-like members intothe interior of said casing, and means for moving the sheets of abrasivematerial downwardly into the interior of said casing so as to presentfresh surfaces thereof adjacent to the approximate line of tangency ofsaid scroll-like members.

4. A pencil pointer comprising a casing of sheet material having sidewalls converging at their upper ends and bent outwardly to form a pairof scroll-like members of generally cylindrical cross section inapproximate tangential relation with each other, a roll of abrasivesheet material disposed within each scroll-like member, the abrasivesheet material of each roll extending about the outer face of thescroll-like member and downwardly between the scroll-like members intothe interior of said casing, and a winding key rotatably supportedwithin said casing, the ends of the abrasive sheets being secured tosaid key so that upon rotation thereof fresh surfaces of the abrasivesheets are presented adjacent to the approximate line of tangency ofsaid scroll-like members.

5. A pencil pointer comprising a casing of sheet material having sidewalls converging at their upper ends and bent outwardly to form a pairof scroll-like members of generally cylindrical cross section inapproximate tangential relation with each other, a roll of abrasivesheet material disposed within each scroll-like member, the abrasivesheet material of each roll extending about the outer face of thescroll-like member and downwardly between the scroll-like members intothe interior of said casing, a tray slidable into and out of saidcasing, a slotted key having its end portions rotatably supported byopposite ends of said tray, the ends of said abrasive sheet passmgthrough the slotted key and being secured thereto so that upon rotationof said key the abrasive sheets are drawn over said scroll-like membersand into the interior of said casing, and means for preventing rotationof said key in one direction.

FREDERICK BURNHAM CHAPMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,332,091 Abbott Feb. 24, 19201,863,616 Bosch June 21, 1932

